Everything is made in China. From cars to chairs, computers to pianos. Boats arrive to our docks full of pallets of merchandise, and return to China empty. If everything is being made by the Chinese people, where do we make our money from?

The US economy is powered not by goods, but by ideas. Steel mills have closed down years ago, car companies are going broke, factories are a thing of the past. Those have all been sent overseas, where cheap labor is plentiful. But smart people, with ideas, cannot be outsourced.

B&H Photo sells billions of dollars of camera and other electronics every year, and they make a ton of money doing so. There is nothing unique about the products they sell. 90% of what they sell is easily found in other stores, both online and off. So what is so unique about their business that causes pro photographers and amateurs alike to flock to them with religious zeal for their gear?

The answer is the “shopping experience.” The camera is not unique, but their ideas on how to sell the camera are. And that alone is worth billions in annual sales, allowing them to employ 1,600 people in the process.

Ideas are the currency of today’s marketplace. Don’t invest in products, they can be found anywhere. Instead, invest in creating a sales process that is unique. It may be more difficult to create a new idea than a new product, but ultimately, it is the only way to make money in today’s marketplace.

Because good ideas are the only things not being Made in China.

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But what about someone who doesn’t have any connections to an existing business or career? That is when the fun starts.

When you are not confined to a particular type of business, it allows you to explore the endless possiblilites. It is clear that there is no shortage of good ideas to make money. The famous business cartoonist, Hugh MacCleod, put it like this: “The Market for Something to Believe in is Infinite.” I certaintly would think that kollel members would be capable of developing rock solid ideas in how to make some green.

But the key to making money is not the ideas. The key is taking action on those ideas, and executing on them properly. If the ideas remain just that – ideas – they won’t make you a dime. You need to turn those great ideas into a well thought out plan of action.

Dan Kennedy wrote a book in 1992 called, How to Make Millions with Your Ideas: An Entrepreneur’s Guide.” He certainly has done that many times over. The plans in his book apply to almost any industry. I highly recommend reading the book – it will set your ideas into actions that will make you money.

You have the ideas already – now its time to bring them alive with action. That is how you will ultimately succeed.

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